1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of transmitting stereoscopic image data and an apparatus and a method of receiving stereoscopic image data. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of transmitting stereoscopic image data and an apparatus and a method of receiving stereoscopic image data capable of improving the flexibility of transmission of disparity data by 3D video content suppliers.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-6114 discloses a method of transmitting stereoscopic image data using television airwaves. In this transmission method, the stereoscopic image data including left-eye image data and right-eye image data is transmitted to a television receiver that displays a stereoscopic image using binocular disparity.
FIG. 30 illustrates examples of the relationship between positions where left and right images of objects are displayed on a screen and positions where stereoscopic images (three-dimensional (3D) images) of the objects are reproduced in the display of the stereoscopic images using the binocular disparity. For example, in the case of an object A whose left image La is shifted rightward on the screen and whose right image Ra is shifted leftward on the screen, the stereoscopic image of the object A is displayed at a position closer than the screen because a left line of sight intersects with a right line of sight at the position closer than the screen. Dpa denotes a horizontal disparity vector concerning the object A.
In the case of an object B whose left image Lb and right image Rb are displayed at the same position, the stereoscopic image of the object B is displayed at a position on the screen because the left line of sight intersects with the right line of sight on the screen. In the case of an object C whose left image Lc is shifted leftward on the screen and whose right image Rc is shifted rightward on the screen, the stereoscopic image of the object C is displayed at a position farther than the screen because the left line of sight intersects with the right line of sight at the position farther than the screen. Dpc denotes a horizontal disparity vector concerning the object C.